Julian sat back on his heels and stared at Eve in shocked silence. “Pregnant?” he said, his voice slightly high in disbelief.

“Yes,” Eve said quietly, not sure what else to say.

“How?” he asked stupidly.

Eve laughed. “Well, about two months ago, I came to your mansion. There, we spent the most incredible night…” Eve’s mind wandered as she remembered that night.

“Yes, yes, who could forget?” Julian smiled, distracted as well.

Eve lifted her eyes to his again. “We didn’t use any protection, and now I’m pregnant,” she said, matter-of-factly.

“So…” he said slowly, “I am the father?” It all seemed so unreal.

“Well, yes!” Eve exclaimed.

“So you never…” he started.

“How could I go back to TC after being with you, Julian?” She reached out and touched his cheek. “I couldn’t, no matter what. Besides, TC and I hadn’t been together since before my accident. Since then, I have only been with the man I love.” She leaned forward and kissed him gently.

A tear escaped his eye as he returned her kiss. He brushed it away impatiently and smiled happily.

“Are you OK with this, Julian?” Eve asked, watching him closely.

“I…I can’t believe it; you and I are going to have a baby!”

“So, you are happy about it then?” she asked.

“Happy?” He pulled her off the bean bag and into his arms, falling back into the sand next to the crackling fire with Eve on top of him. “Sweetheart, I am ecstatic!! We are going to have a baby, you and me, a new start!!” He wept tears of joy as Eve cried happily with him.

A few minutes later, Julian rolled Eve onto her back, away slightly, as he propped his head up in one hand, his elbow digging into the sand, while he wiped Eve’s tears from her cheeks with the other. Chuckling softly, he said, “This day has turned out to be the most wonderful day of my life.” He smiled down at her. “I can hardly believe this is all happening. You and me, the baby….Eve, I love you so much, there are no words for what I am feeling right now.” His voice quivered. “I am so thankful.”

Eve reached up and pulled his head down, kissing him tenderly. Pulling back slightly, she whispered, “Me too, Julian, me too.”

His lips settled on hers once more…moving over her mouth, showing her, rather then telling, just how happy he was.

Eve sighed happily against his lips. She didn’t mind that her hair and body were now full of sand…only that she was with the man she loved, having their baby, soon to be his wife. Besides, they could always take another swim she figured, her heart full of playful mischief as she imagined all the possible ways she and Julian could rid themselves of the sand.

The sun shone brilliantly through the patio doors. Eve stirred in her sleep and then opened her eyes. She blinked as she tried to adjust to the bright sunlight. Looking out the doors, she was confused for a moment, not remembering that she had patio doors in her room.

She smiled as she remembered where she was. Rolling over, she saw that she was alone in bed. ‘Julian must be up and about already,’ she thought as she sat up in bed and propped her pillows behind her. Sudden nausea overcame her, and she made a mad dash for the bathroom.

Julian entered the bedroom carrying a tray of bacon, eggs, toast, and an assortment of fruit, juice and coffee. He stared at the empty bed for a moment, then called, “Eve?”

“In here,” she said.

Placing the tray on the bed, he hurried to the bathroom. “Are you all right, Eve?” He pushed the door open in concern.

Having washed her face, Eve patted it dry with a clean towel. “Yes.” She smiled weakly. “Just a little morning sickness.”

“Do you get that a lot?” he asked. “I mean, I am not familiar with such things. Ivy kept me in the dark about this…among other things,” he said, feeling a bit foolish.

“I’m sorry,” she said simply. “Please don’t feel bad. I promise to involve you in every part of our baby’s life.” She stepped into his arms and hugged him.

He smiled into her hair. “I am looking forward to every moment! Now, I brought you some food, if you feel like eating, that is. Do you get sick often?” he asked again.

She pulled from his arms at the mention of food. “Every morning,” she informed him as she made a beeline for the tray.

Julian stared after her in amazement.

“I am one of the lucky ones. I am only sick in the morning; some have it all day. Some are sick only a few months, some the whole pregnancy.” She held up a juice. “Here is to being sick only a little while.” She grinned as she drank some and then dove into the food.

Julian watched her eat in amusement. “Wow, you really are hungry.” He chuckled.

Eve swallowed her bacon. “Well, after last night, do you blame me?”

Julian sat across from her and bit into a piece of bacon. He smiled tenderly as he remembered. “Yes, we did work up an appetite, didn’t we?” He leaned over and tried to kiss her.

Eve grinned, nodding, as she pierced a piece of melon and popped it into her mouth just as he leaned close.

He laughed. “Well, I can see you are not to be distracted from your objective, so why don’t you finish eating, while I go shower?”

She nodded, watching him get up and head for the bathroom. She munched on some toast and then raised her eyebrows when he dropped his robe on the floor just as he stepped into the bathroom, completely undressed.

He turned and winked at her, and she blushed.

Julian whistled in the shower as the steam from the hot water rose and clouded the glass around him. He turned when a blast of cool air hit him. He smiled when he saw Eve standing there, her hand on the open glass door.

“Want some company?” She raised her eyebrows suggestively as she lowered her robe to the floor.

He stared at her, his hand still holding the soap against his chest. His eyes had followed the robe to the floor, and then traveled back up, desire smoldering in them as he reached out and pulled her into the shower with him, closing the door behind her.

Eve smiled as he placed kisses on her shoulder, his arms around her, having dropped the soap. She arched her neck, shivering as his lips nibbled the side of her throat.

Julian moved up along her neck and kissed her cheek. Slowly he trailed his lips to hers, kissing her briefly before he kissed the other cheek.

Eve reached up and took his face in her hands. She turned him to face her and then planted her lips on his, pressing, determined to keep him from straying anywhere else. She opened her mouth and caught his tongue when he glided it lightly against her lips.

Julian groaned and pressed her closer, battling her for control of the kiss. He lost! She held onto his tongue, refusing to let it go, as her hands wandered freely, exploring his body.

Julian groaned. He admitted that he enjoyed letting her have her way with him; it was quite exhilarating. When her hands boldly moved lower, he gasped, and managed to finally pull his lips from hers.

As the warm water ran freely over their bodies, Julian moved her against the shower wall. He lifted her arms and pinned them above her head.

Her face was glistening wet; her hair, curly, clinging to her neck and shoulders; her eyes were full of desire, and her chest was heaving with anticipation. Julian stared at her in renewed awe of her beauty. It seemed to him that it didn’t matter where or when he was with her - Eve was a natural born beauty, and time would never change that.

She licked her lips wickedly. And just like she thought, his eyes turned passionate, and his lips descended upon hers once more.

Still holding her arms above her head, he grazed his lips lightly against her mouth, smiling when she moved her lips in an attempt to return his kiss. His eyes met hers and held. He held her hands with one hand and brought the other down to caress her cheek with his finger.

He moved his lips, brushing hers again slowly, teasing her. Then with his thumb, he kneaded the tenderness of them. He leaned closer and glided his tongue against her lips, pulling back, rubbing them again with his thumb, assaulting her senses, causing her to writhe with passion.

“Julian,” she whispered, unable to take it any longer.

“Hmm?” he murmured against her mouth.

“Please…” she whimpered, trying to free her hands.

“Oh, no you don’t.” He breathed against her throat, his lips caressing her gently.

Frustrated at the snail’s pace he was kissing her, she brought her leg against his, sensually gliding it up his calf. Long, sleek and smooth, her leg hooked his and pulled him closer.

Julian groaned, gently biting her bottom lip. “Eve…” he breathed heavily as his lips crushed hers.

Finally freeing her arms, he wrapped his around her, hugging her close, his fingers splaying her back. Over and over he kissed her with reckless abandon, his tongue expertly manipulating hers into submission, as he made love to her there in the shower, with the steaming water streaming down upon them.